Selecting circuit



Feb. 3, 1959 V. H. WILSON SELECTING CIRCUIT Filed Sept. 4, 1956 INVENTORVERNE H. WILSON ATTORNEY United States Patent SELECTING CIRCUIT Verne H.Wilson, Morristown, N. J., assignor to Monroe Calculating MachineCompany, Orange, N. J., a corporation of Delaware Application September4, 1956, Serial No. 607,831 11 Claims. (Cl. 23561) The invention relatesto selecting circuit arrangements and more particularly to codetranslators.

Binary selecting circuits in the form of relay translator circuits knownas a Christmas tree or pyramid arrangement are known in the prior art.Such arrangements require relays each having a different number ofarmatures increasing in number in powers of two. This requires that theelectrical power to operate the relays be different for the differentrelays or that if uniform power is suppliedfor operating each relay thenpower is needlessly supplied to each relay except the one having thelargest power of two number of armatures. When such arrangements areused to translate from binary-codeddecimal to decimal notation eightarmatures are present for the 23 binary code element relay while only ofthe 16 contacts associated therewith are utilized.

It is an object of the invention to provide a relay translating circuitwhich has uniform power requirements for each of the relays therein.

It is an additional object of the invention to reduce the number ofarmatures required "by any relay in a relay translating circuit.

It is a further object of the invention to reduce the total number ofarmatures required in a binary-codeddccimal to decimal translator.

These and other objects of the invention which will appear as thespecification progresses are attained by arranging the circuits of arelay operated selective switching system for translating frombinary-coded-decimal to decimal so that three armatures are required foreach of four relays, each armature having at least one contact memberassociated therewith, and interconnecting the armatures and contactmembers in such a manner that an electrical circuit is closed for adifferent one of ten devices in response to each of the tenbinary-coded-decimal inputs.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawing forming a part of the specification and in which the sole figureis a schematic circuit diagram of a relay translator according to theinvention.

Referring to the drawing there is shown a diagram of abinary-coded-decimal relay type translating circuit having four inputselecting relays, R1, R2, R4 and R8 corresponding to binary inputconductors bearing the code weighted signals 1, 2, 4 and 8,respectively. Each of these relays has three contact arms or armatures11, 12, 13, 21 83, referenced so that the first digit identifiesthe-relay by which controlled and the second digit identifies the levelof the armatures with regard to the showing in the drawing. Each contactarm has two contacts or contact members associated therewith, a lowerone which is contacted by the arm when the respective relay is notactuated (normally closed) and an upper one which is contacted by thearm when the respective relay is actuated (normally open). Electricaldevices 10, which may comprise lamps behind numbered masks, actuatingelectromagnets for printing selected numeral ch racters or any othernumeral indicating means for the 7 1 numerals as shown on the drawing,have one terminal each connected to a source of potential, shown asground, and the other terminal connected to the selecting circuit. Theselecting circuit connects a source of potential, shown as plus to theother terminal of one of the electrical devices thus completing thecircuit for one device 10 for each setting of the relays R1, R2, R4 andR8 representing the decimal equivalent of 0-9.

The circuit paths for each of the devices 10 will now be traced. For No.0 device 10: lower contact and armature 82, lower contact and armature11, lower contact and armature 21 and, lower contact and armature 41 topositive potential. For No. 1 device 10: lower contact and armature 81,upper contact and armature 11, lower contact and armature 21 and, lowercontact and armature 41 to positive potential. For No. 2 device 10:lower contact and armature 43, upper contact and armature 23, lowercontact and armature 13, and lower contact and armature 83 to positivepotential. For No. 3 device 10: lower contact and armature 42, uppercontact and armature 22, upper contact and armature 12, and lowercontact and armature 83 to positive potential. For No. 4 device 10:lower contact and armature 22, upper contact and armature 42, lowercontact and armature 13, and lower contact and armature 83 to positivepotential. For No. 5 device 10: lower contact and armature 23, uppercontact and armature 43, upper contact and armature 12, and lowercontact and armature 83 to positive potential. For No. 6 device 10:lower contact and armature 12, upper contact and armature 22, uppercontact and armature 42, lower contact and armature 13, and lowercontact and armature 83 to positive potential, or lower contact andarmature 12, upper contact and armature 43, upper contact and armature23, lower contact and armature 13, and lower contact and armature 83 topositive potential. For No. 7 device 10: upper contact and armature 13,upper contact and armature 23, upper contact and armature 43, uppercontact and armature 12, and lower contact and armature 83 to positivepotential, or upper contact and armature 13, upper contact and armature42, upper contact and armature 22, upper contact and armature 12, andlower contact and armature 83 to positive potential. No. 8 device 14):upper contact and armature 82, lower contact and armature 11, lowercontact and armature 21, and lower contact and armature 41 to positivepotential. No. 9 device 10: upper contact and armature 81, upper contactand armature 11, lower contact and armature 21, and lower contact andarmature 41 to positive potential.

It is to be understood that a switch may be included in the common lineleading from the positive potential source to the selecting circuit orin the common line leading from the devices 10 to the ground potentialsource. This switch could be maintained open until a complete input ispresented on the input conductors leading to relays R1, R2, R4 and R8.The switch would then be momentarily closed to cause actuation of one ofthe devices 10. Such operation will control the time of operation ofdevices 10 to occur only after the selecting circuit has been set up aswell as control the length of time that a device 10 is operated.

It is to be noted that the connections between armatures 22 and 42 andbetween armatures 23 and 43 conduct in both directions. For selection ofthe No. 2 device is current flows from positive potential to device No.2 from armature 23 to armature 43 while for selection of the No. 5device 10 current flows from positive potential to device N0. 5 fromarmature 43 to armature 23. For selection of the No. 3 device 10 currentflows from positive potential to device No. 3 from armature 22 toarmature 42 while for selection of the No. 4 device 10 current flowsfrom positive potential to device No. 4 from a armature 42 to armature22. It is also to be noted that the circuit path for the No. 6 device 10includes two armatures of relay ll, arms 12 and 13 and their lowercontacts and that the circuit path for the No. 7 device 10 includes thesame two armatures of relay 1 and their upper contacts. i

The selecting circuit described above utilizes flour relays each havingthree armatures. An upper contact'for one armature of each of relays R2,R41 and R5 is not used (21, 41 and 83). Accordingly, the connections tothe armature and lower contacts foreach of 21, and 33 could be reversedif desired. Only lZ armatures and twenty-one contacts are here used inthe selecting circuit resulting in a saving of three armatures and threecontacts as compared to the prior art pyramid arrangement'fo'rbinary-coded-decimal to decimal translators besides obtaining auniformpower requirement for operation of the code responsive relays.

Although the invention has been described with a certain degree ofparticularity, it is understood that thepresent disclosure has been madeonly by way of example and that numerous changes in the details ofconstruction and the combination and arrangements of parts'may beresorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventionas hereinafter claimed.

I clairnf 1. A selecting circuit arrangement for completing a single oneof a number of electric circuits in response to coded information offour elements of at least two conditions, comprising four poly-positionswitching elements each having no more than three armatures and at leastone contact member associated with each armature, said.

armatures and said contact members being interconnected so that at leastone of said interconnections carries current in one direction tocomplete one of said circuits and carries current in the oppositedirection to complete another of said circuits. it v 2. A selectingcircuit arrangement tor completing a single one of a number of electriccircuits in response to binary coded information. of four elements,comprising four two-position switching elements each having no more thanthree armatures and at least one contact member associated with eacharmature, said armatures and said contact members being interconnectedso that at least one of said interconnections carries current in onedirection to complete one of said circuits and carries current in theopposite direction to complete another of said circuits.

3. A selecting circuit arrangement for completing a single one of tenelectric circuits in'response to binarycoded-dccimal information of fourelements, comprising four two-position switching elements each having nomore than three armatures and at least one contact member associatedwith each armature, said armatures and said contact members beinginterconnected so that at least one of said interconnections carriescurrent in one direction to complete one of said circuits and carriescurrent in the opposite direction to complete another of said circuits.

4. A selecting circuit arrangement for completing a single one of tenelectric circuits in response to binarycoded-decimal information of fourelements, comprising four two-position switching elements each havingthree armatures and at least one contact member associated with eacharmature, said armatures and said contact members being interconnectedso that two or" said interconnections carry current in one direction tocomplete certain ones of said circuits and carry current in the 0ppositedirection to complete certain other ones of said circuits.

5. A selecting circuit arrangement for completing a single one of anumber or" electric circuits in response to coded information of fourelements of at least two conditions, comprising four poly-positionswitching elements each having no more than three armatures and at leastone contact member associated with each armature, said armatures andsaid contact members being. interconnected so that at least one of saidelectric circuits is completed through two armatures of one of saidswitching elements.

6. A selecting circuit arrangement for completing a single one of anumber of electric circuits in response to binary coded information offour elements, comprising tour two-position switching elements eachhaving no more than three armatures and at least one contact memberassociated with each armature, said armatures and said contact membersbeing interconnected so that at least one of said eletcric circuits iscompleted through two armatures of one of said switching elements.

7. A selecting circuit arrangement for completing a single one or tenelectric circuits in response to binary coded-decimal information offour elements, comprising tour two-position switching elements eachhaving no more than three armatures and at least one contact memberassociated with each armature, said armatures and said contact membersbeing interconnected so that at least one of said electric circuits iscompleted through two armatures of one of said switching elements.

8. A selecting circuit arrangement for completing a single one of tenelectric circuits in response to binarycoded-decimal information of fourelements, comprising four two-position switching elements each havingthree armatures and at least one contact member at ociated with eacharmature, said armatures and said contact members being interconnectedso that two of said electric circuits are completed through twoarmatures of one of said switching elements.

9. A selecting circuit arrangement having four inputs and tenoutput sfor connection between four conductors carrying binary-coded-decimalinformation and ten electrical devices for selectively closing a circuitpath for one of said devices in response to the binary signalcombinationonsaid input conductors, comprising four two-positionswitching elements each having three armatures and at least one contactmember associated with each armature, said armatures and said contactmembers being interconnectedso that two of said interconnect-ions carrycurrent in one direction to complete certain ones of said circuits andcarry current in the opposite direction to complete certain other onesof said circuits.

10. A selecting circuit arrangement having four inputs and ten outputsfor connect on between four conductors carrying binary-coded-decimalinformation and ten electrical devices for selectively closing a circuitpath for one of said devices in response to the binary signalcombination on said input conductors, comprising four two-positionswitching elements each having three armatures and at least one contactmember associated with each armature, said armatures and said contactmembers being interconnected so that two of said electric circuits arecompleted through two armatures of one of said switching elements.

11. A selecting circuit arrangement having four inputs and ten outputsfor connection between four conductors carrying binary-coded-decimalinformation and ten electrical devices for selectively closing a circuitpath for one of said devices in response to the binary signalcombination on said input conductors, comprising four two-positionswitching elements each having three armatures and at least one contactmember associated with each armature, said armatures and said contactmembers being interconnected so that two of said interconnections carrycurrent in one direction to complete certain ones of said circuits andcarry current in the opposite direction to complete certain other onesof said circuits and two said electric circuits are completed throughtwo armatures of one of said switching elements.

Reterencescited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

